World War One poetry contest

Primary schools across Angus are turning historian to investigate their communities’ involvement in WWI and uncover the stories behind them in a national competition.

The veteran¹s charity, Legion Scotland, is calling on schools in Angus to enter now.

The Stories of WWI’s Families, Legion Scotland Primary Schools Competition 2014/15, launched this week and will see hundreds of pupils investigating stories from the First World War in their local communities.

Schools will be looking at what war meant to the families and children of WWI and using photography to capture the stories gathered as part of the project.

Pupils from P5, P6 and P7 will investigate the life of one person or family who lived during WWI and interview local people to source stories, either personal or handed down.

They will also get a chance to look at artefacts that might be hidden away in attics or left on mantlepieces and write 500 words to complement their photography entries.

Legion Scotland, the country’s largest veterans’ membership charity, has launched the competition to all primary schools as part of its special ‘Voices of Veterans’ campaign to commemorate the outbreak of World War One and pay tribute to all ex-servicemen and women.

Of all the entries across Scotland, a shortlist will go forward to an online voting stage. The public will get to choose the top three entries. Finally a panel of judges including a celebrity will choose the winner.

The lucky winning school will land a star prize of a unique VIP experience at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in August 2015, for up to 10 pupils.

Details of the competition, a teacher’s pack and the terms and conditions can be found at www.legionscotland.org.uk/schools